After three games without a win, Sydney FC just had to win this one. A lovely day at Allianz Stadium, both Alex Brosque and David Carney back in the starting line up and a bottom-four opponent. What could possibly go wrong?

Plenty, as it turns out. And fair play to the Glory. Their rugged approach in defence was given a touch of brilliance by Diego Castro in attack. The Spaniard probably proved the difference.

Dangerfield: No players, no game

Goalkeeper blunder costs Sky Blues

Vedran Janjetovic had a night to forget as Perth put through two easy goals to take the spoils in Sydney. Kenny Lowe's men move nearer to a top-six berth.

No matter how much the critics want to write the Glory off and say the top six will remain as is, the Sandgropers won't have a bar of it. Five games unbeaten, they are making a dogged run to right the wrongs of last season.

This win hoists Kenny Low's side to within just two points of six-placed Adelaide United and three of Sydney. With nine games to play, they've crowbarred their way through the back door. All power to them.

"I've said it for the past 12 games - we've been putting performances in without getting the results we deserved," Lowe said. "But now we're getting what we deserved, and we deserved that today. We were pragmatic, difficult to break down and very efficient in the box."

But in front of just 11,559, Sydney's lowest home crowd of the season, something wasn't right from the start. Even the Cove, half-empty, struggled to make their presence felt. Eyes on next week's derby, perhaps?

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"We have to be honest and say it wasn't good enough, but I'm more determined than ever to fix this," said Sydney coach Graham Arnold. "The past month hasn't been good and there's some players who had too many chances. Now it's time for changes.

"Every coach goes through a difficult period and this would be the most difficult period, if I'm honest, that I've ever had in five years in the A-League."

And to cap it off, poor Vedran Janjetovic will bear the blame. This is one moment will be the one he'll never want to see again.

Moving to clutch a relatively simple incoming cross in the 22nd minute, which should have bounced harmlessly into his hands, he somehow missed it completely.

In what can only be described as a Bill Buckner moment, his arms were out of sync with the ball, which proceeded to dribble through his legs and stop at the feet of Andy Keogh.

The Irishman couldn't believe his luck, almost pausing to make sense of the moment. He tapped the ball into the empty net.

Luck was all with the Glory at that point and they rode it a little more moments later at the other end. An incoming corner from Milos Dimitrijevic pinged around box, with Sebastian Ryall heading a final effort across goal. Glory defender Shane Lowry nearly botched his clearance, heading the ball into the crossbar.

The Sky Blues front third was began to function better and better as the match wore on and it looked inevitable that an equaliser would come as the second half unfolded.

Still, with Diego Castro providing an effervescent threat, the Sky Blues' defence could never rest. On the bring of half-time, he was taken down by Jacques Faty on the edge of the box - such risks were needed to stop him.

Sydney left-back Rhyan Grant was hooked at half-time in favour of Ali Abbas with Arnold clearly looking for some added energy on the left.

Soon after, George Blackwood was also dumped in favour of Robert Stambolziev and the Sky Blues had an entirely new left side for the final 40 minutes. They instantly looked more damaging and gave Josh Risdon plenty to think about.

At either end, two identical chances were spurned - one that could have sealed the result for Perth or given Sydney a lifeline.

For the Glory, Chris Harold's quick cut-back seemed to danced agonisingly beyond the feet of Keogh while at the other end, Carney's boot was equally close to an equaliser.

Sydney continued to push forward but they dropped the craftsman's knife in favour of the blunt instrument. As time ticked away, they tried to bully and bludgeon their way forward. But in the A-League era, no team has more relished a physical battle than Perth.

And when you play on their terms, they beat you with experience. Sitting back, absorbing pressure and then they spring forward like a pack of hungry hyenas.

Diego Castro, who else, poked a superb pass to substitute Gyorgy Sandor. The Hungarian's effort was denied Harold pounced on the rebound, mis-hitting the effort but still making enough contact to bumble the ball over the line.

That sucked the life out of the Sky Blues, even if, eventually, the goal Sydney craved - and perhaps deserved - eventually did come.

A clever through ball from Milos Ninkovic found Shane Smeltz in space and the striker was never going to miss from there. But one was never going to be enough.